Of Orthopedics and Oxygen..........

I fell hard for my new man in Lake Tahoe!

Literally.

Just call me Grace.

Believe me....It was not pretty and the after effects aren't pretty either, unless of course you are fond of all the brilliant colors found in bruising.

After a fun-filled weekend of food, family, and some loose slot machines, we finished up our visit with an early Monday morning sight-seeing trip around the lake. The natural light and array of clouds made for some awesome photo ops. I was quickly inspired and absorbed in the incredible beauty of the Emerald Bay section of the lake, which was back-dropped by mountain peaks covered in generous amounts of brilliant, glistening snow. A snow boarder's paradise, even this late in the season.

As I headed back to the car with my mind on the collection of natural wonder I was able to capture with my camera and looking forward to the editing process later that day....I failed to watch my step off the curb into the parking lot. Apparently, my right ankle rolled as it's done sooooo many times before and well............

SPLAT!



My camera went flying....OH THE HORRORS....as I heard a familiar snap in my ankle and I groaned with shock and pain, knowing I likely UNDID everything that the orthopedic surgeon worked so hard to repair just a short 3 years ago!

Lake Tahoe was still cold enough and of course, the perfect place to wear my very fashionable and warm chocolate brown Uggs, although they did nothing to support my ankle during the fall. However, I have found that type of footwear to be much easier to remove when the ankle/foot is swelling to impressive proportions!



(You may want to remember that little bit of advice if you are prone to dramatic falls) You're welcome!

We made the long 6 hour trip...("TRIP"...I cringe and shudder hearing that word now!) home with my ankle elevated on the dash, covered with an icebag that looked like this......



I had no idea such old-fashioned things still existed, but that's all we could come up with at the local Walgreen's. It definitely served me well, in that "building a better mouse trap" sort of way......with just a couple of stops for fresh ice on our journey.

Regardless of our prompt attention to the swelling, my ankle was severely traumatized and today, FOUR DAYS after the fact, this is what it looks like.....



Lovely, isn't it?

I saw the doctor on Tuesday and was examined and X-Rayed, then placed in a removable, padded walking brace that goes knee high. I am awaiting a referral to Orthopedics. In the past they've immobilized my ankle in a fiberglass cast for 6 weeks and I doubt this time will be different, considering the fact I had previous surgery to repair significant damage from the same type of falls.

FALLSSSSSSS...as in MULTIPLE!!!

Arggghhhhh!

As if injuring my foot and ankle wasn't enough....upon my return home, my CPAP machine became possessed!!! As I settled in to bed that night, the machine began to turn on and off and deliver a variety of air pressure guaranteed to cause me to either explode or die from a lack of oxygen in the night! I decided to try my luck without it and was pleased to wake up ALIVE the next morning...having apparently inhaled EVERY time I exhaled...which is extremely important to us people with sleep apnea! Yesterday I arranged to receive a new machine, under the warranty! I look forward to sleeping well....with my new machine tonight!

In the meantime, I am going to do a little reading, then take a nap and I will get to posting some of those Tahoe photos later today! I am happy to say the camera survived! Whew!